TFZ

I have sons and a DH as well. This has meant that most of my artistic/crafty life has been shared with the males of this house. I've shared 1/2 of the workbench in the basement ( covered with a vinyl flowered table cloth to designate "off-limits" for the power tools. I have had baskets full of supplies stashed around the house to be brought out when I wanted to create. I have had dressers filled with fabric and threads, hidden so no one knew about my secret passion. And now, finally, I have a TFZ. 

My TFZ (testosterone free zone) started about 37 1/2 minutes after my eldest left for college. After the tears were shed, I started by moving his stuff out and painted the room a delicious lavender ...purple is supposed to spark creativity and no right-minded young man would ever want to occupy such a girlish room. Adding white cottage shelves to three walls and a lovely farmers table under the windows, the room was ready for CREATING!!! 

Yes, I get teased a lot by my men but I think they are really proud that I have a created a place where my passion reigns.

Sharon Boggon's Class

I took Sharon's class, Sumptuous Surfaces, last fall and completed the monotone piece. Finally, I am getting around to posting the photo. I am still  newbie at taking and posting photos so will do my best to let you see what I have been up to.

I am still working on the color piece for Sharon's class, even though the classes ended months ago. OK, so I am definitely not the overachiever when it comes to my art. Remember, 10 minutes a day? Well, if I am honest, most days 10 minutes is a stretch with working and all...but when I do get into the TFZ, I definitely enjoy myself and that is all that matters.

10 Minutes A Day

One of the books I have been reading lately recommends that one spend 10 minutes a day doing whatever it is you are passionate about. Of course, for me, that is 10 minutes in my studio doing something other than cleaning!!! It is amazing how much can get done in 10 minutes. And the benefit is that usually once I am there, the 10 minutes turns into a much greater amount of time. But if I am limited, I have at least set foot into the studio and tried to create. 

 

Working Through It?

How do you work through illness? Do you get into your craft space and see what happens or do you give it up and let the healing begin?

I went to the doctor's today after coughing for 3 weeks. This all started with a sinus infection and now I have what the doc called "post-infection inflammation". What this means is that I am wheezing and have bronchitis. So, now I am on medication...and all I want to do is nothing. I want to curl up in a blanket and do nothing. So much for the creative juices flowing.

 I am trying to keep going to work because Colin, my eldest, is getting married in April and Chris, my other son, is graduating from college in May. And my days off are very limited. But we will have to see just how this medication affects me before I commit to the commute tomorrow.

The best thing about being sick is that one of my favorite magazines, Cloth, Paper, Scissors arrived today and I am more than wiling to sit here all cozy and read. The paint tube people on the cover look like so much fun. Maybe I'll venture upstairs to the TFZ after all.

Hobby, Craft or Art?

"How do you label yourself and what you do? Is it a hobby, craft or art and what is the difference?

 

I have always needed a creative outlet but never really had the space to create and leave the mess." With my sons becoming adults and moving away from home I have been able to take one of the bedrooms and build what started out as a TFZ - for those of you who don't know this term, it stands for testosterone-free zone. The TFZ quickly evolved into the craft room and now is my studio.  Does the name really matter? Maybe if I call it  studio, I will take my art/craft/hobby more seriously.

Happy New Year. The beginning of the year has brought lots of excitement. My eldest son got married yesterday. I have a wonderful new daughter. She is very special not only to him, but to us as well. It is nice to have a daughter after raising sons. The bad part is that they live in Ohio and we live in New Jersey...for those of you who don't know, it is a nine hour trip by car between our house and theirs. 

I have made a promise to myself to spend at least 10 minutes everyday working on something that I am passionate about so my artwork should progress right along. 

So far I have finished a wonderful needlework piece but am having trouble photographing it. When I get a decent picture, I will post it here.

Time to get into the studio for a few minutes.

Ok, so I have been away from this for a LONG while. I intended to keep it updated but so much has been happening that life seems to propelling me forward at tornado speed. I have just completed two online classes, Sumptuous Surfaces with Sharon Boggon and a pocketbook class with Janet Clark. Both were great with lots of new information to keep me busy for quite awhile.